The Old Lady and the penguins pt. 2
Lucky had never been here before. They usually just did some chores, the ones they could do, and left. The dishes were easy to do because they could climb the drawers that were left in various stages of opening. The floor could be cleaned though that could be a tougher job because they couldn’t use a dust pan or broom. The did what they could and then left, which is what they did in almost every apartment in their building when they weren’t caring for the pipes.
The floor was soft under Lucky’s feet as she moved farther into the room. It felt nice. She heard Barnabus stop and looked over the blanket to see what he saw. In front of her father was a big, orange cat. Its back was arched, and its claws were bared.
It’s not that cats were their enemies. It’s just that cats could be territorial and skittish. Or worse, they could be playful. Cats at play rarely understood that other animals would be hurt by the sharp claws and teeth that a cat would use at a whim. Get caught in a hug when the back feet kick in and a penguin would be at its end.
The cat hissed loudly while Barnabus made cooing sounds. Lucky stood frozen to her spot. A sudden movement know could activate the cat’s hunting instinct. The blanket was close to her beak. It tickled her nostril as she breathed in. A shiver went through her. She should hold her breath. It wasn’t working; she could feel the impulse to sneeze building. She looked at Barnabus still facing off with the cat. It was too bad that it had to happen this.
Lucky inhaled sharply and let fly a sneeze to end all sneezes. He wings flew over her head throwing the blanket into the air. The cat leaped over Barnabus at Lucky, but was caught in the blanket as it came down. Both the cat and the blanket went over Lucky’s head and landed in a heap near the entrance to the room. The cat moved but couldn’t seem to find its way out of the blanket.
There was a rustle of movement from the bed.
Barnabus waddled over to the blanket with a fish in his beak. He put the fish on the floor and unwrapped the cat slowly. “Lucky, be careful. This should work, but if it doesn’t, slide under the bed and look for your opening to get back to the kitchen.”
Lucky nodded at Barnabus. Barnabus kept moving the blanket around until he came beak to nose with the cat. Barnabus grabbed the fish and dropped it in front of the cat. The cat sniffed at it, ate it in one gulp and rubbed against Barnabus as it came out of the blanket.
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The floor was soft under Lucky’s feet as she moved farther into the room. It felt nice. She heard Barnabus stop and looked over the blanket to see what he saw. In front of her father was a big, orange cat. Its back was arched, and its claws were bared.
It’s not that cats were their enemies. It’s just that cats could be territorial and skittish. Or worse, they could be playful. Cats at play rarely understood that other animals would be hurt by the sharp claws and teeth that a cat would use at a whim. Get caught in a hug when the back feet kick in and a penguin would be at its end.
The cat hissed loudly while Barnabus made cooing sounds. Lucky stood frozen to her spot. A sudden movement know could activate the cat’s hunting instinct. The blanket was close to her beak. It tickled her nostril as she breathed in. A shiver went through her. She should hold her breath. It wasn’t working; she could feel the impulse to sneeze building. She looked at Barnabus still facing off with the cat. It was too bad that it had to happen this.
Lucky inhaled sharply and let fly a sneeze to end all sneezes. He wings flew over her head throwing the blanket into the air. The cat leaped over Barnabus at Lucky, but was caught in the blanket as it came down. Both the cat and the blanket went over Lucky’s head and landed in a heap near the entrance to the room. The cat moved but couldn’t seem to find its way out of the blanket.
There was a rustle of movement from the bed.
Barnabus waddled over to the blanket with a fish in his beak. He put the fish on the floor and unwrapped the cat slowly. “Lucky, be careful. This should work, but if it doesn’t, slide under the bed and look for your opening to get back to the kitchen.”
Lucky nodded at Barnabus. Barnabus kept moving the blanket around until he came beak to nose with the cat. Barnabus grabbed the fish and dropped it in front of the cat. The cat sniffed at it, ate it in one gulp and rubbed against Barnabus as it came out of the blanket.
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